"The Nutcracker Scoob" was a childhood favourite as a kid, ever since starting to watch Scooby Doo at 7 or 8 years old. Have always had fond memories of watching it more than once over every Christmas and it is still a tradition. Actually have always liked the 'The New Scooby Doo Mysteries', though it is far from one of the best shows of the franchise and is uneven in quality (at its best in its longer episodes) and will always have a fondness for Scooby Doo no matter what.
Of all the episodes of 'The New Scooby Doo Mysteries', "The Nutcracker Scoob" to me is the best and most different and certainly the most watched of that show. It has also since single digits been one of my most watched Scooby Doo episodes overall and a strong contender for the best winter themed episode of the whole franchise. It is not perfect or a masterpiece, but it is a perfect example of why the 80s Scooby Doo incarnations shouldn't automatically be dismissed.
So many good, make that great, aspects here in "The Nutcracker Scoob". It is by far the best looking episode of 'The New Scooby Doo Mysteries", especially the wintery scenery that really makes one nostalgic for Christmas. The music fits beautifully in tone and placement with less of the show's usual cues, the standouts being the scoring for the climax and the motif of Winslow Nickleby. The 'Thriller'-inspired theme song and the music video like opening titles sequence are very 80s but effectively so.
The voice acting is very good, while the regulars are without complaint the best faring are a wonderfully cantankerous Frank Welker as Nickleby and Janet Waldo (a regular in the franchise and this is some of her best voice work) as the Ghost (did think for a long time that it was Linda Gary behind the voice). There are some very funny moments, especially the chimney sweeps gag, Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy disguised as elves and Shaggy as Scrooge. The Nutcracker sequence was amusing and charming. The ghost is genuinely creepy and by far the best villain of 'The New Scooby Doo Mysteries', remember vividly the nightmares its first appearance gave me as a kid.
Furthermore, "The Nutcracker Scoob" homages 'A Christmas Carol' beautifully, with lots of affectionate Christmas references, clever references to the story and to other Dickensian characters (Winslow Nickleby's name being made up of two Dickens characters). It does a great job making one think that it's one person for a vast majority of the episode's duration. The truth actually not being obvious until 7 minutes before the end when the already few suspects are narrrowed down. The climax is truly exciting and the best one of the show. The dialogue is never too cheesy and has enough amusing moments, the best lines coming from Shaggy. The story is charming and never mean-spirited with a heart warming and not too neat coda.
My only issue concerns one thing that has never quite made sense to me. For the motive (and the motive was actually very obvious early on) to make sense, there must have been more than one conversation about the emerald, otherwise the ghost's first appearance was motive-less unless that occasion was an attempt at a frame up.
Concluding, great. 9/10.
Of all the episodes of 'The New Scooby Doo Mysteries', "The Nutcracker Scoob" to me is the best and most different and certainly the most watched of that show. It has also since single digits been one of my most watched Scooby Doo episodes overall and a strong contender for the best winter themed episode of the whole franchise. It is not perfect or a masterpiece, but it is a perfect example of why the 80s Scooby Doo incarnations shouldn't automatically be dismissed.
So many good, make that great, aspects here in "The Nutcracker Scoob". It is by far the best looking episode of 'The New Scooby Doo Mysteries", especially the wintery scenery that really makes one nostalgic for Christmas. The music fits beautifully in tone and placement with less of the show's usual cues, the standouts being the scoring for the climax and the motif of Winslow Nickleby. The 'Thriller'-inspired theme song and the music video like opening titles sequence are very 80s but effectively so.
The voice acting is very good, while the regulars are without complaint the best faring are a wonderfully cantankerous Frank Welker as Nickleby and Janet Waldo (a regular in the franchise and this is some of her best voice work) as the Ghost (did think for a long time that it was Linda Gary behind the voice). There are some very funny moments, especially the chimney sweeps gag, Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy disguised as elves and Shaggy as Scrooge. The Nutcracker sequence was amusing and charming. The ghost is genuinely creepy and by far the best villain of 'The New Scooby Doo Mysteries', remember vividly the nightmares its first appearance gave me as a kid.
Furthermore, "The Nutcracker Scoob" homages 'A Christmas Carol' beautifully, with lots of affectionate Christmas references, clever references to the story and to other Dickensian characters (Winslow Nickleby's name being made up of two Dickens characters). It does a great job making one think that it's one person for a vast majority of the episode's duration. The truth actually not being obvious until 7 minutes before the end when the already few suspects are narrrowed down. The climax is truly exciting and the best one of the show. The dialogue is never too cheesy and has enough amusing moments, the best lines coming from Shaggy. The story is charming and never mean-spirited with a heart warming and not too neat coda.
My only issue concerns one thing that has never quite made sense to me. For the motive (and the motive was actually very obvious early on) to make sense, there must have been more than one conversation about the emerald, otherwise the ghost's first appearance was motive-less unless that occasion was an attempt at a frame up.
Concluding, great. 9/10.
